Cancer or no cancer — Carlie will sing!

Her voice at first sings softly, then gradually gains intensity and rises to a crescendo as she belts out the refrain of a tune she and her dad co-wrote: “You’re not standing alone!” Fifteen-year-old Carlie Gonzalez has been singing and making music for as long as she can remember. But these days singing has new meaning. After eight months of intensive treatment for Ewing sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, her powerful voice is also a symbol of her physical and emotional strength. Three weeks after school started in September 2015, Carlie began to feel a pain in her collarbone. Since she also played volleyball, when an X-ray showed nothing, the doctor suggested the pain was likely something minor, caused by sport. Carlie’s mom, Julie, wasn’t convinced. They sought a second opinion at another hospital, and this time discovered Carlie had a tumor in her clavicle (collarbone). They immediately sought care at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s. On Oct. 12, Carlie began a grueling chemotherapy regimen — infusions five times a week for a week, followed by a week off — a cycle that continued for eight months. She also had surgery Jan. 8. Finally, on May 21, she received her last chemotherapy infusion. “I used to sing for literally hours at a time,” notes Carlie. And not quiet tunes either — but truly powerful songs ranging from pop/rock to gospel. “Right now my voice isn’t quite as strong,” Carlie claims. “But it’s coming back.” On this late-July day, he...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Ewing Sarcoma Source Type: news